Improvement in bleaching



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J. B. FULLER.

Bleaching.

Patented June 25. I867.

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JIM B. FULLER, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND J. P. UIIIAM, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND EDWIN T. RICE, OF NEW YORK I Letters Patent No. 66,013, dated June 25, 1867; antcdatcol June 11, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT BLEAQHING.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JIM B. FULLER, of Norwich, in the county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented, made, and applied to use, a certain new and useful Improvement in Bleaching Cotton, Linen, and other fabrics; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus which may be employed with my improved method of bleaching; and

Figure 2 is a plan' of the same with the upper portion of the case.rcmoved.

Similar marks of refereneedenote the same parts.

In bleaching operations heretofore employed the fabric has been moved through the bleaching liquid by means of rollers, and in so doing portions of the fabric have been partially squeezed. The rollers, however, that were employed were not elastic, and hence their action on the cloth was not uniform.

The nature of my said-invention consists in the method of bleaching by subjecting the fabric to the action of elastic squeezing rollers, that squeeze out the bleaching liquid and cause fresh liquid to be absorbed by the fabric when again immersed in the bleaching liquid. By this method there is' a constant circulation of the bleaching liquid through the fibres and capillary tubes of the fabric, the efi'ete liquid being driven 0d and fresh taking its place, thus greatly increasing the rapidity of the process, and insuring that all portions of the fabric, whether of uniform or varying thickness, shall be exposed to an equal bleaching operation.

I also adopt a mode of effecting a saving of the chlorine gas, and producing a much more perfect bleach with a less expenditure of the bleaching liquid. I find that after the fabric has been exposed to theblcaching liquid the desired length of time, ac'cording to the amount of bleaching required, that there is a very large amount of chlorine gas contained in the fabric when it comes out from between the squeezing rollers. I therefore immerse the same in clear water, which confines said gas in contact with the fabric and effects the completion of the bleaching operation, the said fabric being allowed to remain in the water almost undisturbed the desired length of time.

My aforesaid method of bleaching may be conducted in any desired apparatus. I have, however, represented in the drawing a machine adapted to the squeezing of the fabric and its progressive movement through the bleaching liquid. I

A vertical vat, a, is provided for containing the bleaching liquid; bis a central partition in the same, reaching nearly to the bottom; 0 is a roller supported in journal-boxes and driven by suitable power applied to the pulley d; e is a squeezing-roller. These rollers c and e may both be made of India rubber or other elastic surface, or only one of them may have an elastic surfac e, and, if desired, several rollers a may be placed around the roller c, and these rollers a may be mounted in sliding boxes with spring pressure applied thereto. fis a guide throughwhich the fabric is drawn up by the action of the rollers. The cloth is to be passed through the rollers and bleaching liquid and then brought up to the last end of the piece and sewed together, so as to form an endless web that is drawn through the liquid and then the bleaching liquid pressed out, and fresh liquid absorbed, when the fabric passes again into the liquid, or the rollers might be below the surface of the bleaching liquid, if desired. A cover, g, should be provided to retain the fumes of the bleaching liquid, and the vat a may be enclosed in a case, so as to be heated, if necessary, by steam admitted by the pipes 7i. Fresh bleaching liquid may be admitted at the pipe 2', as required from time to time. When the liquid has acted tothe desired extent in bleaching the fabric, the said fabric is .passed out of the apparatus, after it has been thoroughly squeezed, and is laid in a vat of clear water in order that the chlorine gas may beretained in the fibres and the water that moistens them, so that the gaseous material that would otherwise be lost shall beutilized in completing-the bleaching operation, The scouring and washing operations for removing all traces of chlorine or acid are performed in the usual manner.

This improvement is applicable to the bleaching of any fabrics or the yarns or fibre.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

- 1. The method herein specified of subjecting the fabric or fibre to the operation of elastic squeezing-rolle' to produce a circulation of the bleaching liquid throughout the fibres of the fabric, substantially as set forth.

2. I claim the method of utilizing the chlorine gas contained in the fabric or fibre, after it has been squeezed by elastic rollers, by immersing the same in water, as set forth.

I In witness whereofI- have hereunto set my signature this 9th day of November, A. 1866.

JIM B. FULLER Witnesses:

Gasnmsa Gases-s. Geo. reams. 

